Building panel



Feb. 9, 1937. T. J. FOSTER .BUILDING PANEL Filed May 12, 19:56

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` Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Thomas J. Foster, Ridgewood, N. J.

14 Claims.

This invention relates to low cost heat and sound proof buildings of fire-.resisting materials and particularly to prefabricated panels for the walls and roofs.

This application is a continuation in part of my applications Ser. No. 740,705, led August 20,` 1934, now Patent No. 2,040,732, and Ser. No. 44,264, led October 9, 1935.

Objects of the invention are to lessen the cost of constructing and erecting panels for buildings of the fire-resisting type without sacricing strength, watertightness and long serviceability; to improve the panel construction by providing adequate and uniform waterproofing and heat and sound insulation throughout the entire area; to provide for the use of such exterior and interlor iinish as may be desired; and to lighten the weight and increase the size of the panel units as compared with existing practice.

Further alms and advantages of the invention appear in connection with the description of the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the interior corner of a building partly in cross-section, depicting the construction of the steel framemembers, floor and wall panels;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section of the same on the line 2-2 in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through an outer wall panel on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

The construction illustrated comprises columns II supporting girders I2 and floor beams I3 arranged in parallel bays, the beams I3 being spaced about four feet apart and extending from girder to girder with their top flanges level with the top ilanges of the girders. Preferably the corner columns are angles with the outer faces of the legs facing outward, and provided at each floor level with an interior angle I4 welded thereto for supporting the ends of the beams and girders, brackets I5 being welded to the brackets I4 for engaging the webs of the beams f'or this purpose.

Various forms of prefabricated sections for the floors and walls may be secured to the skeleton frame, depending upon the purpose for which the building is to be used or the architectural treatment desired. In the floor construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, each section comprises a series of layers adhering together and strengthened by sleepers or cross-supports 2| made of wood or other suitable materials and supported at their ends on the top flanges of the beams I3. Vibration absorbing and heat insulating cushions or springs 22 may be placed between the ends of the cross supports and the top flanges of the frame members if the depth of the panels is greater than that of the cross supports, and strips of felt 23 may be adhesively secured to the under sides of the cross-supports, as shown in Fig. 1, or these cross-supports may rest directly on the sheet rock or plaster board base 30, as shown in Fig. 3.

Preferably the cross-supports 2i are covered on their upper sides with a continuous layer of felt 24, or similar insulating material. Any suitable floor nish may be applied to the top face of the panel, that illustrated being ahard wood iioor 25 to which the felt `24 is cemented on its under side with a suitable adhesive. The flooring, felt layer and cross-supports are assembled and secured together before being erected in the structure.

A heat and sound proof ceiling is secured beneath the cross-supports to complete the oor slab in such manner as not to transmit vibration thereto. This ceiling may consist of a plaster board finish 30 or any suitable ceiling finish upon which is poured a layer of aerated gypsum or any light plastic material 3| embedding a wire mesh or other suitable reinforcement. 'I'he space between the ceiling and oor finish may be filled with rock Wool 35 or the like if desired for additional heat and sound insulation.

The floor slab or panel illustrated in Fig. 3 is suitable Where a fire proof ceiling is not important, and thin depth is desired, no gypsum layer being used. The layer of felt 24 cemented on the under side of the flooring 25 provides substantial sound and heat proofing, and the plaster board or ply wood layer 30 adhesively secured beneath the cross-supports provides additional sound-proofing as Well as heat insulation.

The wall panels advantageously have wall board or plaster board or ply wood inner faces 40 and cement, stucco, or other suitable exterior finish 4I of uniform thickness throughout on the outer faces, depending on the type of building and effect desired. The wall panels are reinforced by channel-shaped open work metal reinforcement 42 of a type that will bond in to the structure, surrounding the edges and crossing the panels intermediate the edges at suitable intervals, the flanges being embedded in the body material of the panel to tie the faces together. Aerated gypsum, or other light heat insulating material, is advantageously used for the inner body portion 43 of the exterior wall panels, and cement o1' concrete for the outer body portion 44, the intervening space being filled with insulation, as rock wool or wool pellets 45. or left operi, as desired. Heat and sound reflecting surfaces may be used on the inner sides of the. layers 43, `44 in place o'f the insulation 45. The entire bo'slayer 44 is preferably stiifened with reticulated sheet metal, or wire mesh .sections 38 backed by a layer of waterproof paper 39, or other suitable backing and stiffening means. Nailing blocks 36 may be embedded in the inner body layer 43 for supporting the backing and stiening means durlng'the pouring of the cement layer 43.

At the ends of the wall panels the body layer 43 may be provided with lugs 31 cast thereon at the places where it is to vfasten to the steel frame, as shown in Fig. 3, and the wall panels are supported at their lower ends on steel plates or bars 46 welded to the flanges of the adjacent beams or girders, being held in position by dowels or pins 41- which engage in suitable alining recesses formed in the concrete lugs at the lower ends of the upper tier of panels and at the upperends of the lower tier of panels. Lag screws 48 extending through the web of the adjacent beam or girder into spaced wood blocks 49 embedded in the inner layer of plastic material (see Figs. 2 and 3) secure the wall panels to the steel structure and also preventtwisting of the beams or girders due to the weight of the panels on the .supports 46. 'I'he joints 50 between the lower ends of the upper panels and the upper ends of the lower'panels may be filled with cement or other plastic waterproof material to embed the supports and ll the space to keep out the weather.

The oor slabs are preferably held in place at their ends by suitable fastenings secured to the beams. In the form shown, metal clips are provided having their ends bent around the u pper anges of the beam and an intermediate part doubled up between the ends of the slab. These clips may be suitably spaced to line up with the ends of the transverse supporting members 2| in adjacent panels and secured to the first panel laid by nails or screws driven through the clips into the transverse members before the next panel is put in place. As the succeeding slabs are laid in place they may be toe-nailed to the preceding ones by nails driven through the ends of the abutting transverse members and concealed beneath the flooring. 'I'he cracks between the abutting ends of the panels may be lled with plastic material, strips of wood, or other heat and sound proof packing.

The open sidesof the I-beams between the top and bottom anges are preferably covered with strips of sheet rock 52 nailed to blocks 53 held in place on opposite sides of the beams by bolts or adhesive.

Further details of the panel and slab design and methods of constructing them will be found in my Patents Nos. 1,825,346, 1,964,728, 1,989,798 and 2,001,605, and in my pending application Serial No. 740,705, led August 20, 1934, for manufacture of cementitious slabs; and further details of the joints and connections between the columns, girders and beams will be found in my pending application Serial No. 723,985, led May 4, 1934, for metal framing for building construction.

My invention is applicable to buildings of various kinds by suitable changes in the slabs and panels to adapt them to the conditions of use. For residences where the basement i5 QTY @nd ordinarily quiet, the' damp-prooiing and noiseproof ceiling may be omitted. For hospitals, additional noise-prooiing may be secured by greater-thickness of the ceiling layers and more felt in the sub-floor combined with a rubber tile or other form of silent iioor surface. Room nishes may be adapted to the size and purpose oi the4 respective rooms by utilizing diierent iloor and wall materials, such as various kinds of hardwood flooring, tile, rubber, linoleum, terrazza, cement and other plastic substances, and ply wood, sheet rock, wallboard, plaster, canvas, paper and other sheet material suitable for painting or decorating on the interior walls, or waterproof wearing surfaces of stucco, Wood, metal,

composition, cement or slate for exterior wall and roof panels.

The laminated construction of the -slab and O panel sections in the/floors, Walls and roof, provides an effective insulation against sound 1 by causing the vibrations to pass from dense to rarer media and vice versa, and as heat and sound have different vibration characteristicsand periods, materials may be selected because of their heat insulating or sound insulating properties, as desired.

The absence of solid metallic connections ex- Vtending through the section is an important feature of my invention because of its effect on the sound and heat proof properties, there being nothing to conduct the sound and heat from one face to the other; and the thickness of the several insulating layers being the same throughout the entire area contributes to satisfactory service and low cost of maintenance.

The connections between the slab and panel sections and the frame members serve to stiifen the latter and take the place of wind bracing. These connections are quickly made without special tools. and if it is desired to strengthen the frame against extraordinary -storms or earth- Aquake shocks, the joints may be welded after the frame has been completely assembled andlined up before the -panels and slabs are placed, at comparatively small expense.

It is evident that my invention provides for uniform heat and sound insulation in controllable measure throughout the entire section to suit its purpose as wall or roof or floor slab or panel, and at the same time provides a wall panel with an interior surface that is pleasing in appearance and easily decorated and maintained and an exterior surface that is impervious to rain and not injured by frost, and provides a floor slab made of strong materials of little weight with a Wide variety of floor and ceiling nishes, all said sections being made of cheap materials, simple of construction and light enough to be easily handled and assembled in a building.

My invention has the advantage of permitting the use of sheet metal, cast metal, stone, or other slabs as surface finishes, preferably backed with a layer of moisture, heat and sound proofing material, and the nish may be either .attached to the panel body by any suitable fastening means, suchas screws secured to suitable anchor blocks, or anchored in place by tying-in members during the casting of the panels, as may be desired.

It should be clear to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description that my invention may be practiced in the production of other specific forms than these herein disclosed, and the description herein is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

I claim the following as my invention:

1. A building panel comprising a body of aerated gypsum, a finish layer adhesively secured to said body on one face, a waterproofing layer on the other face of said body, reinforcing means embedded in said body and projecting through its waterproof face near the perimeter, a sheet of reinforcing material spaced from said body and arranged between the projecting portions of said reinforcing means, a layer of hardened plastic material embedding said reinforcing means and sheet, and heat insulating material in the space between said body and hardened plastic layer, said reinforcing means securing said hardened plastic layer and insulating material rigidly to said body, whereby heat, moisture and sound conduction through said panel isprevented.

2. A building panel comprising `a body of aerated gypsum, a layer of plastic board adhesively secured to said body on one face, remforcing means embedded in said body and projecting through its face near the perimeter, Va sheet of reinforcing material spaced from said body and arranged between the projecting portions'of said reinforcing means, a layer of hardened plastic material embedding said reinforcing means and sheet, and heat insulating material in the space between said body and hardened plastic layer, said reinforcing means securing said hardened plastic layer and insulating material rigidly to said body whereby heat -and sound conduction through said panel is prevented.

3. A building panel comprising a body :of aerated gypsum, reinforcing means embedded in said body and projecting through its face near the perimeter, a sheet of reinforcing material spaced from said body and arranged between the projecting portions of said reinforcing means, a layer of hardened plastic material embedding said reinforcing means and sheet, and heat insulating material in the space between said body and hardened plastic layer, said reinforcing means securing said hardened plastic layer and insulating material rigidly to said body whereby heat f and sound conduction through said panel is prevented.

' 4. A building panel comprising a body of aerated gypsum, reinforcing means embedded in said body and projecting through its face near the perimeter, a sheet of reinforcing material spaced from said body and arranged between the on the other face of said body, reinforcing means embedded in said body and projecting through Vits waterproof face near the perimeter, a sheet of reinforcing material spaced from said body and arranged between the projecting portions of said reinforcing means, a layer of hardened plastic material embedding saidA reinforcing means and sheet, and mineral wool in the space between said body and hardened plastic layer, said reinforcing means securing said hardened plastic layer and mineral wool rigidly to said body whereby heat, moisture and sound conduction through said panel is prevented.

6. A building panel comprising a body of aerated gypsum, reinforcing means embedded in said body and projecting through its.fa.ce naar 'the perimeter, a sheet of combined waterproof paper and reinforcing material spaced from said body ,and arranged between the projecting portions of said reinforcing means, a layer of hardened plastlc material embedding said reinforcing means and sheet, and mineral wool in the space between said body and hardened plastic layer, said reinforcing means securing said hardened plastic layer. and mineral wool rigidly to said body whereby heat, moisture and sound conduction through said panel is prevented.

7. A building panel comprising a body of aerated gypsum, a finish layer adhesively secured to said body on one face, a waterproofing layer on the other face of said body, a reinforcing means embedded in said body and projecting through its face near the perimeter, a sheet of combined waterproof paper and reinforcing material spaced from said body and arranged between the projecting portions of said reinforcing means, a layer of hardened plastic material embedding said reinforcing means and sheet, and mineral wool in thespace between said body and hardened plastic layer, said reinforcing means securing said hardened plastic layer and mineral wool rigidly to said body whereby heat, moisture and sound conduction through said panel is prevented.

8. A light weight heat and soundproof building panel comprising spaced layers of light weight set plastic material and light weight non-combustible material in the spaces therebetween, said layers being connected to each other by bonded in, perforated metal strips arranged at right angles tothe midplane of the panel and crossing it from edge to edge.

`9. A light weight heat and sound proof building panel comprising spaced layers of light weight set plastic material and light weight non-combustible material in the spaces therebetween, said layers being connected to each other by bonded in, perforated metal strips arranged at right angles to the midplane of the panel and crossing it from edge to edge, and, reinforcement sheets in the spaces between said strips with their edges in proximity thereto and bonded together by the adjacent plastic material.

10. A building panel formed with a body layer of aerated gypsum cast on a facing sheet to which reticulated metal reinforcement has been secured to partly embed the latter, a layer of heat insulation over said body and a layer of cementitious material cast on said heat insulation and embedding part of said metal reinforcement, whereby said layers and facing sheet constitute with said reinforcement a rigid, self-supporting unitary structure.

l1. A light weight heat and sound proof building panel having a set body comprising spaced layers formed of plastic material, perforated metal strips at spaced intervals transversely disposed with respect to the midplane of said body and having flanges along their edges bonded into said body layers, and sheets of metallic reinforcement in the spaces between said strips, the edges of said reinforcement being in proximity to the adjacent flanges on said strips and embedded in the contiguous body layer to secure them in place and strengthen said panel.

l2. A building panel comprising a facing sheet and a body of aerated gypsum cast on the facing sheet, reticulated metal reinforcement partly embedded in and projecting from said body, heat insulation laid over said body and additional metal reinforcement laid over said insulation, and a layer of cementitious material cast on said heat insulation to embed and secure together all said metal reinforcement, therebyintegrally connectjecting portions of said reinforcing means, and a layer of hardened plastic material embedding said reinforcing means and sheet, said reinforcing means securing said hardened plastic layer rigidly to said body whereby moisture and sound conduction through said panel is prevented.

14. A light weight heat and sound proof building panel comprising spaced layers of light weight set plastic material, said layers being connected to each other by bonded in, perforated metal strips arranged at right angles to the midplane of the panel and crossing it from edge to edge, and reinforcement sheets in the spaces between said strips with their edges in proximity thereto andalbonded together by the adjacent plastic materi THOMAS J. FOSTER. 

